First Date
by Charley A. Deets
Summary: Magnus and Alec's first date- a fluffy one shot :)


**A/N: After reading the excerpt on Cassandra Clare's website about Malec's first kiss (which I recommend reading first btw. Also it wouldn't hurt to read Magnus' Vow, which is also written by Cassie herself), I got inspired to write about the date they had later that week. :) it's just a fluffy one-shot! I tried to keep it canon as possible, so forgive me if there are errors or if someone seems a little OOC. Also, the fluff and passion might be a little unrealistic for a first date, but come on- it's fun :) **

**One other thing- I use a certain word in this fic to emphasize the ignorance and hatefulness of a certain character. I do not approve the use of it or use it personally myself. **

**Review please!**

**Disclaimer: Regrettably I don't own TMI or any of the characters. Sad. The places that are mentioned in this fic are real places, so I can't take credit for them either. **

Alec paced the length of the street where Magnus lived six times before heading up the stairs to the front door of his building.

He had been there only two days prior where they had shared their first kiss, and since then Alec had done nothing but play those ten minutes over and over, anticipating their date for Friday.

Now that Friday was here, he wanted to throw up.

He wasn't exactly sure what they were doing on their date, but he made sure to lie to Jace, who would normally rope him into some kind of law breaking activity for a Friday night. He ended up saying he was feeling ill from lunch, which would make sense since it included Izzy's cooking.

He paused before ringing the doorbell and looked down at himself. He had put more thought into his wardrobe tonight than he ever had before, which was never. The end result was still as boring as ever. Dark jeans and a dark blue t-shirt to bring out his eyes. Blue brought out blue eyes right? Magnus said he liked his eyes. If only he let Izzy help him pick something out after he told her about his date. He wouldn't call Magus fashionable exactly- but he definitely had his own flair for style. He even considered stealing some of Izzy's eyeliner...Magnus liked eyeliner, right? Maybe if he-

"So are you just going to stand there in front of my apartment looking at your shoes all night?"

Alec looked up quickly. Magnus was standing there in a tight shirt with a zebra print and red leather pants, which were bedazzled of course. Even his electric blue eyeliner had sparkle. His spiky hair resembled one of the characters out of those manga books Max loved to read so much. He had a smile on his face which made his eyes squint merrily and his arms were crossed which emphasized his muscles. Alec felt his mouth go dry.

He sputtered. "Oh well, I … um. Yeah. Sorry I'm late." Now was one of those many moments where he wished he had Jace's way with words. He felt his face heating up.

"Actually, you weren't late. You stood on there for a good ten minutes before I decided to come down and get you. At my age, you'd think I'd be more patient." Magnus said, obviously amused.

"How did you know I was waiting here for ten minutes?"

Magnus shook his head. "Alexander, I am the High Warlock of Brooklyn. A mundane would have to sell his Porsche and his Upper Eat Side apartment to afford even my simplest spells. I know when a handsome young man is standing on my stoop."

"What's a Porsche?"

Magnus leaned against the door frame. "It's a type of mundane car. Now are we just going to stand here forever? Much more interesting things have happened in this doorway, and we weren't even on a date then." His cat eyes sparkled mischievously.

Alec's urge to throw up was replaced by an invasion of demon butterflies in his stomach. Damn demon butterflies. He thought of what Jace would say to save face. Like his _parabatai_ ever had to save face.

"Well aren't you you going to invite me in? Or are we going somewhere? You never really told me what you wanted to do. " His flippancy startled him. Jace seemed to have rubbed off on him after all.

The High Warlock raised his eyebrows. "Normally one does not invite one back to his apartment at the beginning of a date," he leaned forward, so close to Alec they were almost nose to nose. His eyes shined dangerously."That's for later."

He felt like his breath was knocked out of him, and for a moment all he wanted to do was drag Magnus upstairs. Magnus took notice at his reaction and leaned back just a little. "Silly Nephilim. I'm just teasing. I'm not going to kidnap you. I am however, whisking you off to Miami."

Alec's eyes widened. "Really? Why Miami?"

"You seemed confused and a little uncomfortable with what's going on here, and I know it's new. So I thought a large city without an Institute would be best," he said kindly. He took his hand and squeezed it. "I want you to have fun, and I'm all about a good time. I am 'magnificent' you know."

What Magnus said was true. A part of him had been terrified about being seen in public. While Miami was a large city, Florida wasn't called the sunshine state for nothing. Vampires didn't like the weather and since wolves weren't native to that area, they tended to move on to northern states to blend in. A fair amount of warlocks lived there, but even then the only Institute was in Orlando, and he didn't know the family there well.

"You'd be surprised how well we fit in there. And I'm not just talking about your iratzes which pass for mundane tattoos and my genius fashion sense. So should we get going? The portal is waiting upstairs." Magnus led him upstairs by the hand, and Alec thanked the Angel that there was innocent purpose behind going into Magnus' apartment, or else he might literally be sick with nerves.

When they got to the apartment, Alec saw the portal shimmering in the middle of Magnus' living room. Chairman Meow rubbed up against their legs in greeting. Everything was dark except for the glow of the portal, and a dim flickering light caught Alec's eye in Magnus' bedroom. Before he could give it a second thought, Magnus pulled Alec into the portal and in an instant they were at the corner of a busy highway.

Alec's first impression was the noise, but not with the constant honking and yelling of New York traffic. Cars flew by them like bullets, not seeming to pay attention to them or anyone else on the road for that matter. He couldn't tell if it was a glamour, but he certainly didn't think to put any up. Magnus leaned into him. "Come on," he practically had to shout. "Dinner is this way!"

They walked to a corner restaurant in a big white and orange building. There was a giant mouse on the side leaning against a large piece of Swiss cheese. The large mouse reminded him of something. "I thought we weren't going to Orlando."

Magnus looked at him strangely then looked at the mouse. "Oh. Alexander, that isn't Mickey Mouse. This place is called The Big Cheese." The light in his eyes danced happily, reflecting the colors of the streetlights illuminating the night sky. Alec blushed.

He muttered a few words under his breath, embarrassed. Magnus just smiled that easy smile of his and led him inside. He was hit by a heavenly smell of baked bread and garlic. "This place has the best garlic rolls in the world. Trust me, I would know." Magnus whispered in his ear, making him tremble.

Alec turned to him to respond when the waitress came up to them. She looked at them questioningly, making Alec's heart skip an uncomfortable preemptive beat before she asked, "Two?" Feeling stupid he let her lead them over to a booth with seats covered in cheap red leather and paper place-mats showing a map of Italy. As he sat down, Magnus got into the booth across from him.

"Every time I end up in Miami I come here. The food here would put certain restaurants in New York to shame. I'm not usually so controlling that I order for my dates...however, the Big Cheese is the exception," the waitress came over asking for their order. "A large pizza with everything, garlic rolls, and side Caesar salads please."

Alec smiled. "I'll trust you this time. But I really can't even picture you eating pizza."

Magnus laughed. "I'm from Brooklyn. Of course I eat pizza." he said in his best Brooklyn accent. He casually reached over and held Alec's hand across the table without a second thought.

His touch sent a jolt through Alec. His heart was pounding in his chest, although he couldn't tell if it was from excitement or nerves. He tried to hide his discomfort; even though they were thousands of miles away from anyone they knew, he had kept his attraction to men a secret for so long that every nerve in his body screamed to run away. He was almost jealous of smiling, laughing, easygoing Magnus who acted like he was just on an ordinary date. Alec supposed they were technically on an ordinary date, but it all felt so foreign.

Not for the first time, Magnus seemed to see right through him. He let go of his hand and leaned back. "You know, it's okay that we're here. We're just being together and having a good time. Just relax and enjoy it. I certainly am," he said casually. "However, if hand holding is too public for you..." and as he said that he started rubbing his foot slowly up and down the inside of Alec's calf.

"By the Angel!" Alec jumped as electricity shot up his leg and he banged his knee on the table causing the silverware to clang together. A few other customers glanced over. Beyond embarrassment he started to laugh. "I couldn't be more awkward at this." he admitted out loud. "I'm terrible at being gay."

Magnus stared at him, startled. "What?" he laughed lightly. "You're not terrible at being gay. First dates are awkward for everyone. You're just lucky you are out with yours truly," He gestured at himself. "They don't call me 'Magnificent' for nothing. I'm pretty unforgettable, if I do say so myself." his voice was laden with meaning that made Alec's cheeks warm.

He was about to reply when the waitress brought the food to the table; He was momentarily distracted by the feast set before him. His mouth watered, but as he brought the hot, steaming roll of garlic bread to his mouth he paused. "I'm not sure this is the best date food."

"What's the point in being an all powerful warlock if you can't freshen someone's breath? Eat it, Nephilim. I'm worth suffering through garlic breath anyway."

Alec locked eyes with the warlock. "I could never suffer from kissing you." he smiled and didn't break eye contact as he took a large bite of bread, which melted in his mouth instantly.

"Eat up, Alexander. The night is young." replied Magnus softly, with the same intense look in his eye from earlier.

After eating his fill of food which he could only assume was made by Raziel himself, he followed Magnus behind the building where the small parking lot resided. He couldn't help but noticing the way Magnus walked; he had a certain grace to him, not like a vampire who moved with the precision of a jungle cat, but he had an air of confidence about him- not to mention a great ass that Alec couldn't take his eyes off of. He led him over to a small blue sports car. Alec asked about where Magnus found the vehicle, remembering the coffee from nowhere when Magnus had house guests.

"It's mine. I took it from my personal garage, I promise. Now before we go anywhere-" and Magnus stepped closer to Alec, tugged on the belt loop of his jeans, and brushed his lips against his. He pushed him lightly against the car, pressing his body close to him and slowly deepened the kiss. Magnus' expert mouth opened Alec's slightly with his tongue, tracing his bottom lip with the tip of it before exploring it deeper. This close to him he could smell the familiar scent of burnt sugar and something exotic he didn't recognize. Magnus' kiss had a way of making his head spin and his nerves skyrocket. His mind wandered and he was thinking again of how good Magnus was at kissing. But then again, centuries of practice would give him a slight advantage. He pushed the idea of Magnus having hundreds of years worth of kissing and the Angel knows what else away as he wrapped his one arm around Magnus' waist and buried his other hand in his spiky hair. He felt hard abs against his own, and his mind went blank.

Magnus' cool hands found their way under Alec's shirt and pressed them against his bare skin, stroking his index finger lightly against his spine which made his skin sing. His knees buckled and he moaned lightly as Magnus bit his lip softly. He made his way down Alec's jawline and throat, nipping and kissing until he found a sensitive spot and directed his attention there in a way that made Alec almost black out. His hands were shaking as moved his hand from Magnus' neck down to his chest. He rested his hand there, silently debating whether to move his hand lower. Magnus pressed himself against him, emphasizing what Alec was doing to him, making his heart skip a beat. Magnus made his way back to Alec's mouth where he captured it in a slow, deliberate kiss before pulling away slightly.

Magnus offered a smile before pressing his forehead against Alec's. He blew lightly in his face where Alec could smell a trace of peppermint. "What did I tell you? Minty fresh."

"Delicious." Alec's voice was surprisingly husky. He could taste the peppermint on his own breath. Magnus' cat eyes shined in the dim light of the quiet parking lot. Alec stroked his face before pulling him in for a second helping.

After what seemed like days, they came up for air. Breathing heavily, Magnus rested his forehead on Alec's shoulder. "Alexander, if you don't try to behave yourself," he paused to bite his shoulder slightly, causing his legs to turn to jelly. "I'm going to have to take you home now, and my planning would be all for naught."

Shivers ran down his spine and it took a minute to find his voice. "You're the one who brought me to this dark parking lot. Was this not part of your plan?"

"Of course it was part of the plan, Lightwood." Mangus slowly ran his hands up and down Alec's arms. "I always have a plan."

Alec laughed shakily and made his way over to the passenger side, where Magnus followed and opened the door for him. He slid inside as Magnus shut the door and went around the car to get in on the driver's side. Alec was momentarily distracted by the dashboard, which was much more sleek and elegant than any car provided by the Clave. The engine roared to life as Magnus pressed a button next to the steering wheel.

"Where are the keys?" he asked.

"It's a key-less engine. A type of 'mundane magic' that spares them the hassle of inserting a key into a keyhole. I just happen to think it's neat," replied Magnus. He pulled out of the parking lot and turned left onto the busy highway. "Now I know you're not the biggest fan of nightlife, but there's a club I think you'll like. It's a mundane club, but the music is great. How does that sound?"

Alec, not one to waste words, replied, "I'm up for anything."

Magnus grinned. "Excellent."

A good forty five minutes later they arrived at the Viceroy Hotel in South Beach. They spent their time in traffic asking questions about each other and laughing at the drivers on the road that would put the big city to shame. When Alec realized where they were, he felt his stomach flip.

"What are we doing here?" he asked a little too quickly with his voice slightly higher than usual.

Magnus had his hand on his leg and he gave it a squeeze. "Relax. The club is on the 50th floor. It's a rooftop lounge."

When he realized his assumption, he flushed. He didn't know why the idea of sharing a hotel room with Magnus made him so nervous- he certainly would've welcomed it over at the restaurant. He kept getting so wrapped up in Magnus, and he had to keep reminding himself that it was a first date. Was it the fact that it was the first man that he's been out with, or was it Magnus? He remembered what Magnus had asked him the night they first kissed-_"But do you ____like__ me? Because this being gay business doesn't mean you can just throw yourself at any guy and it'll be fine because he's not a girl. There are still people you like and people you don't." _

He watched Magnus walk ahead of him, getting the parking permit for his car. His strut was cocky and his movements fluid. He was taller than Alec and much thinner. If it weren't for the muscles that etched into his body like a Roman sculpture, he would be considered skinny. He was lean...and _sexy_. When he returned to the car with the parking pass, green-gold cat eyes met blue ones and Magnus broke out into another easy smile and Alec felt his insides melt.

Alec grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Hey. Just in case you were wondering, I'm having a great time."

Magnus smiled and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "But of course- could you expect anything less?" his voice sounded arrogant and humorous, but the way his eyes lit up gave him away. It reminded Alec of Jace, whose arrogance could never quite pass for sincere even with his haughty tones and dry humor. Just like with his _parabatai, _Alec could see right through Magnus and knew better; it was a form of self-defense. It struck him as odd- it never occurred to him that Magnus might have first date jitters too.

They headed to the elevator to the far side of the parking garage where it took them to the top floor. Once they stepped out onto the rooftop, Alec was overwhelmed by the view. They could see the whole bay from where they stood, a black sky meeting dark, rippling water with the only light coming from the reflection of the city.

"Welcome to Club 50." said Magnus.

They applied glamours to get past the bouncer, skipping the endless line. The club itself was beautiful. There was a giant rectangular pool in the the middle of the rooftop with a hot tub large enough to seat twenty. Green and white striped lounge chairs sat under tall palm trees where Alec noticed most were occupied. The lounge was packed with people- some dancing to the pounding music with others clustered around the bar. Alec leaned into Magnus and half-shouted in his ear, "What do you want to do now?"

Instead of replying over the music, Magnus pointed to the bar. They headed over, but instead of waiting for the blonde bartender in the tight black dress to notice them, Magnus produced two drinks out of thin air. "Magic," he whispered loudly in his ear. "I'm not quite sure how mundanes live without, but we must keep up appearances." He handed him his drink and winked.

They made their way through the sea of people over to a railing overlooking the bay. Magnus stepped close to Alec and placed his hand on his waist. Without thinking, Alec froze and looked around to see if anyone noticed them. Magnus withdrew his arm at once and turned squarely to face him.

"Alexander," he said, frustrated. "Look around you. What do you see? For a shadowhunter your observation skills are severely lacking." He nodded at a couple sitting on a lounge chair making out. It was two men. Alec's eyes scanned the room. A handful of gay men were dancing, and he could see two sitting extremely close in the hot tub, deep in conversation. Alec laughed a little to himself and shook his head. Of course Magnus wouldn't take him somewhere where they could stand out. How many times had he made it clear that he wanted him to be comfortable?

"You're right. I'm sorry." Alec looked up at Magnus apologetically. He snaked his arm around him and pulled him closer, showing him that he meant it.

Magnus leaned in and whispered in his ear, "You can make it up to me later." his teeth then grazed Alec's earlobe, making him ache for later.

They stood there talking and laughing for a long time, frequently touching and kissing throughout the conversation. Four drinks in, Alec was feeling bold. "I'm going to the restroom. Meet me on the dance floor in five minutes." He grabbed Magnus by the shirt, reminiscent of what seemed years ago, and planted a searing kiss on him, his other hand reaching around to run down his back and his ass, where he gave it a light squeeze.

He turned, leaving a shocked Magnus and made his way over to the restroom on the other side of the roof. While washing his hands he overhead a tall, muscular guy in a wife beater and a sideways baseball hat talking loudly to his friend. "I fucking hate this club. No matter where you go the goddamn fags are everywhere. South Beach is crawling with them." He slurred on his words, obviously wasted.

Alec froze momentarily before continuing to rinse of his hands and grab a paper towel. He hurried out of the restroom and leaned against the cool wall outside, feeling dizzy. _In a situation like this_, Alec thought, _Jace would have had that guys head on a platter before he finished his sentence_. _I just want to throw up. _

He thought of his parents and what they would say if they could see him now. He thought of the jerk in the bathroom, who voiced every fear Alec had tried to ignore since he ended up at Magnus' apartment. Then he thought of Magnus expecting him out of the dance floor, and he panicked. He couldn't go out there like this. He didn't want anyone to see. He didn't want to feel so afraid. His fear of hurting Magnus overruled his fear of being judged, so Alec slowly made his way over to the dance floor dreading every step.

Just then, a waitress carrying a tray of shots walked by giving Alec a stupid, stupid idea. He could make himself not care. He quickly approached her and grabbed three shots, downing them all in quick succession. He grabbed a final shot right before he reached Magnus, when his head started to spin. Magnus didn't seem to notice at first and pressed close to him. "You kept me waiting."

Alec kissed him sloppily on the cheek. "Sorry baby. Won't happen again." Magnus looked at him curiously, but before he could say anything Alec had put his hands on his hips and started grinding with him to the pounding beat of the music. Alec was dizzy and hot, putting every ounce of energy into drowning in the music and in Magnus, their bodies glistening in sweat. He didn't want to care, he didn't want to be afraid. Alec grabbed Magnus and their mouths collided.

He could taste the alcohol on Magnus' breath, mingling with his own. It was sweet and fiery, making him ache for more. He rubbed up against him, pushing away the words that hurt deeper than demon venom. He dipped his hand slightly into the back of Magnus' pants, and he heard Magnus gasp. He kissed Magnus' neck, and Magnus ran his fingers through his hair. In the fog of his drunken state he couldn't really make out which hand was where- everything was lips, tongue, hands, sweat and teeth.

At one point Alec stumbled slightly, and Magnus pulled away from him, looking at him with a mix of elation and pity in his cat eyes. "You're drunk. Let's get out of here." He tugged on Alec's arm and led him towards the exit but Alec pulled away.

"No," Alec said more viciously than he meant to. "I'm not going to run away."

"You were gone for ten minutes! How much did you have to drink?"

"I drank enough. It was enough. Let's go back." Alec said, pleading. Magnus looked at him incredulously.

"What has gotten into you? Never mind. I want to go now, Alexander." Magnus' eyes flashed. "Let's get to the car and we'll talk."

They walked back to the car in silence. Once inside, Magnus turned to Alec and said softly but firmly, "This is not what I intended to happen. Lucky for you, I have a useful spell for intoxication. Don't worry- you'll still be left with a buzz and the hangover you have rightly earned. But I, personally, would like to enjoy the rest of my date."

Alec looked up at him, his head swimming. "I want to tell you something." But before he could start, Magnus had already put a finger to his mouth as he quickly started to chant the spell. He could feel his dizziness fading, embarrassment flooding in in it's absence.

"How many apologies can you make on a first date before it's no longer socially acceptable?" whispered Alec, not meeting Magnus' eyes.

Magnus looked at him thoughtfully. "I'd say you have two more before I leave you here to find your own way back to New York." Alec looked up at him quickly, and saw that Magnus was teasing him.

"I don't care that you were drunk. I took you to a club, and I certainly wasn't offering you diet coke. What I care about is why you were drunk. We were having a great time until you left for the bathroom and came back acting like you were on your way to face a greater demon, stumbling along the way."

It only took a moment to tell Magnus about what happened in the bathroom. Alec had a way of getting to the point. Magnus looked angry but not surprised. "Some mundanes are especially ignorant. I would tell you not to worry, but you do worry. I can tell." His eyes softened and he reached for Alec's hand.

Alec shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I don't want to talk about it." he attempted a smile. "So where to next?" he tried an impression of Magnus. "The night is young!"

Magnus turned away to start the car. "Yes. Yes it is."

They drove a little ways toward the ocean and parked in an empty lot. When Alec got out of the car he could smell the salt in the air and hear the waves crashing in the distance. He turned to Magnus to ask if they were headed to the beach when he realized he had changed clothes. Somehow Magnus got rid of the outfit that could only be described as loud and replaced it with a worn pair of jeans that hung low enough to make Alec's mouth water and an unbuttoned black shirt showing a white tank underneath which revealed the slight outline of his chest and abs.

"Where did the leather pants go?" was all Alec could ask.

"So you have a thing for leather? Good to know," he put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "This just happens to be a little more practical. There's always time for leather later." Magnus winked.

They left their shoes in the car and started walking to the beach. Alec grabbed Magnus' hand and gave it a squeeze. "I've never been to the beach before; I really like it here."

Alec really did love it there. The rhythm of the ocean waves gave him an instant sense of peace. Peace was hard to come by when you were a shadowhunter. He realized what was so attractive about Magnus- he was steady and constant as the waves meeting the shore, as comforting as a heartbeat.

The sky was black as it was back home, with the exception of one or two of the brighter stars that outshone the city. The moon was almost full, illuminating the beach and rendering the lights peppering the sidewalk useless.

They had walked for four miles with no signs of anyone. The beach was completely empty which gave Alec a sense of freedom he had been struggling to find all evening. He laughed quietly to himself and still holding Magnus' hand he raised it to his mouth and kissed it, only to swing it lightly and carefree between them.

Magnus glanced over at him and nudged him with his shoulder. "Look at you; I haven't seen you this relaxed since...well I've never seen you this relaxed. Are you only now starting to have a good time?"

"Hey now," Alec stopped and turned to Magnus, pulling him close. "That's not true. I just have a hard time in crowds. I won't be like this forever."

Magnus looked at him for a moment. "I would never ask you to change."

Alec shook his head. "I know. Look, there was something I wanted to explain earlier," He straightened and looked at Magnus, staring into his strange green-gold eyes. They were as deep as the sea. He felt his heart thud in his chest. "You make me nervous. In a good way. I can deal with being nervous. It's actually...exciting," he paused as he felt his face flush. "But they- the world- make me feel wrong. Like I'm wrong and what I'm feeling is wrong. I've lived my whole life feeling like I was a mutant; like I was too different and I needed to just ignore it and it would go away. Then I met you, and I finally felt like it was okay to be who I am. I can be myself around you, because you make it okay. You've given me hope that I don't have to be an outcast. That I can belong somewhere."

Alec rarely rambled on, but even though he knew what he wanted to say his nerves had jumbled the words all up. He didn't, however, break eye contact with Magnus. He wanted him to understand him, no matter how terribly he explained it.

Magnus closed his eyes and looked away from him for what felt like eternity. When he looked back at him, his eyes were shining. The expression on his face was peculiar- there was an ancient exhaustion behind his eyes, one Alec couldn't even to begin to understand. Alec had no idea what to make of it, but before he could ask, Magnus hooked his fingers in the belt loops of his jeans, a move Alec was already familiar with, and tugged at him bringing him closer. He rested his forehead on Alec's for a moment and sighed. "Damn it to hell, Alexander. Come here."

Magnus' mouth crashed down on his own, the force of it knocking the breath out of him. Alec placed one hand on Magnus' cheek and the other behind his neck, kissing him fiercely, thrusting his tongue deep into his mouth. Magnus had an exotic taste to him, something that reminded him of oranges and cinnamon. Magnus made a pleased sound as his hands moved from his jeans to his waist, going under Alec's shirt as he wrapped his arms around him. Alec's heart felt like it was beating out of his chest as he moved his hand from Magnus' face to his hair and started to trail kisses down his neck. His other hand tugged lightly on Magnus' shirt where he shrugged out of it easily and let it flutter to the ground. Breathing hard into his ear, Magnus whispered, "Your turn," he pulled at Alec's shirt. "I want to see you."

Alec paused for a moment before pulling his shirt over his head, casting it aside next to Magnus' discarded clothing. He didn't have an undershirt like Magnus did, so he stood there bare chested, feeling self conscious. Magnus ran his hands down Alec's chest, tracing the scars left behind by years of runes. He pulled Alec towards him again slowly, running his hands up Alec's arms, kissing him softly. Alec felt himself lose control at his hands on his bare chest and he crushed himself against Magnus. Emphasizing his arousal Alec rubbed his hips against Magnus, which just seemed to urge him forward. Magnus locked his arms around Alec's waist and started leaning forward, kissing him frantically making Alec's legs buckle. In one quick moment of expertise he had Alec on his back in the cool sand. Magnus pulled away for an instant just to pull off his undershirt and pressed himself against Alec. The feeling of Magnus' hard abs and scorching skin against his own made Alec's mind whirl. He could feel the blood pounding in his veins; Magnus' mouth was hot against his neck, licking and kissing, trailing lower until he reached his chest. He then started tracing his tongue along the runes on Alec's chest which made Alec gasp aloud and he looked down at Magnus who had a smile on his face like the cat that ate the canary. Alec was panting heavily and leaned his head back, closing his eyes to the sensations that were setting his blood on fire. He could feel Magnus' tongue on every inch of him, tracing the scars all the way down to his stomach, where he paused near his right hipbone, dangerously close to the hem of his jeans.

"What is this here?" his voice was husky and he was slightly out of breath. Alec glanced down at the rune Magnus was looking at and laughed breathlessly. He ran his hand through Magnus' spiky hair and tilted his head so their eyes met.

"Stamina."

His gaze was intense as he slowly crawled back up to where he and Alec were eye to eye. "Clever placement." his voice came out in a throaty whisper. Magnus then ran a shaky hand slowly down his chest, pausing only to run his thumb across the stamina rune, and grazed his fingers lightly up Alec's inner thigh and hesitated for a moment over the button of his jeans before flicking it open.

Alec jerked for a minute under his touch, and his mind raced. Is this what he wanted? What else did he expect? Magnus was hundreds of years old surely he has had sex, right? Would a warlock who has been around for centuries wait for some stupid boy like him? Did he want to wait? Was he sure he-

His mind blanked as Magnus pulled his zipper down and reached into his jeans. His back arched and he let out a low moan. Magnus was nibbling his ear and breathing hard. No, he definitely didn't want to wait.

Magnus continued stroking him slowly, and Alec felt himself drowning as his body trembled from the feeling of Magnus' hand on him. As Alec's pleasure started to build his body started to move with Magnus' strokes and his hand slammed against the sand, clutching at it desperately when he felt something sharp stab at his palm.

Magnus pulled his hand out of his pants and said, "I'm sorry I can't do this. I'm sorry." just as Alec, who didn't hear him, sat up and yelped in pain.

They both looked at each other and said, "What?"

Magnus closed his eyes and shook his head, rolling off of Alec so he could sit next to him and inspect his hand. Even after everything that had just happened, the simplest touch of Magnus holding his hand still sent electricity through Alec's body. "I'm sure it's nothing." his voice sounded deep and rasping, trying to come up for air.

"Nothing a kiss wouldn't fix," Magnus lifted Alec's hand to his mouth, making him tremble. He smiled as their eyes met for a second, and Alec felt the static in the air. "So what happened?"

"I...uh... dug my fingers in the sand when you were...well anyway something sharp must have punctured my hand." Alec looked quickly over on his right side. He saw something blue peeking out from the sand.

"It's good to know I have that affect on you." Magnus teased. It came out halfhearted, like something was on his mind. He lay down in the sand next to Alec, their arms touching.

Alec plucked the blue object out of the sand. "It's a seashell." It was slightly round and resembled a tiny conch- no larger than a witchlight. It had rows of sharp spikes crowning the top where Alec had hurt his hand. It was very odd looking, Alec thought to himself. Not that he had seen many shells but this one looked quite strange.

"I never knew shells could look like that," Alec breathed. He handed it Magnus. "Here. I want you to have it. Now I've given you something, like you've given me."

Magnus looked closely at the small conch. It was a bright indigo color, almost iridescent in the moonlight. "I'm not very familiar with ocean life; I've never seen anything like it either. One thing I do know," Magnus rolled onto his side so he could look at him. Still holding the seashell, he reached over to stroke Alec's face. Alec closed his eyes. "Is that just because something is seen as different, doesn't make it any less beautiful."

His eyes shot open and Magnus gazed down at him with an unreadable look in his eyes. Alec had never looked into eyes that held so much truth and mystery in his life; it was like watching the sky every night, looking for a moon that would never fail to meet you. Alec was going to ask Magnus what he was thinking, but was interrupted by Magnus leaning in to touch his lips softly against his own.

Alec was taken aback by it's tenderness; Magnus kissed him with a surprising vulnerability. He kept his hand on Alec's face, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. Alec let the tip of his tongue run along Magnus' bottom lip before biting it softly. Magnus let out a slow shuddering breath and whispered Alec's name like a prayer.

Emboldened, Alec raised himself up on his one elbow so he could lean over Magnus, and he let his own hand trail down Magnus' chest and stomach, exploring and touching, wanting to make him feel like Alec felt earlier. It was a powerful feeling, wanting to give over everything you had to another person. He tugged at Magnus' pants, and whispered against his mouth, "I want-"

Magnus interrupted him by gently grabbing his wrist and pulling it away. "I know. But we can't. I'm sorry," his eyes softened as he looked at Alec. He paused for a moment and looked away. "You've wiped me out, and I have to get us home."

Alec blinked for a second, not comprehending the word _home_. He felt like that was a million miles away.- a lifetime ago.

Magnus continued, adopting a light voice that seemed artificial as he sat up. "Consider it a compliment. We can't all have stamina runes."

He felt the blush all the way to the roots of his hair. "It wasn't my idea to put it there you know," he said quickly. "Jace and I were thirteen and he swore it would be useful someday. Not that I think he understood how at the time..."

Magnus laughed. "Oh, it will be useful alright. Just not tonight, Shadowhunter. I would say little, but that obviously isn't the case," Not look at him, he got up and dusted himself off, pulling up Alec with him. "See? I told you this would be more practical. Sand and leather do not mix." Magnus took his hand and started walking back toward the car.

Bewildered, Alec followed. He wasn't sure how or why, but something in the air had changed between them. It seemed like they went from one extreme to the other. Just moments ago, it seemed as if Magnus could have opened up his soul to Alec, only to close down in an instant and smooth it over with a joke. It was very _Jace_.

The portal was near the car, and once through it, they found themselves once again in the middle of Magnus' living room. Alec could smell the faint scent of candles that were recently blown out. Chairman Meow purred and rubbed against Magnus in greeting, only to turn to Alec kneading his paws against his feet until he picked him up. He scratched behind the tabby's ears.

"Et tu, Brute?" Magnus chided the Chairman. "Well, like I told you earlier I never date anyone my cat doesn't like. He can't get enough of you."

Magnus was refusing to meet Alec's eyes, and for the life of him he couldn't understand why. Chairman Meow rubbed his head against Alec's chin before jumping out of his arms. He took a step toward Magnus and touched him on the shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Magnus flashed a ghost of a smile. "Never better."

Over his shoulder Alec could see a clock on the wall that read 4:00 am. Panic rose, distracting him from Magnus. "Is it really four in the morning?" he asked, his voice higher than usual.

"You should probably head home. People will be missing you if you stay too long."

They walked down the stairs together where they paused at the door leading out to the street. Alec felt a hole in his chest where his heart had been. It was a very noticeable absence since his heart had felt too big for his chest since he arrived at Magnus' door eight hours earlier. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't think the date went very well for Magnus. Now he seemed to want to get rid of him as fast as possible. What had changed? Alec smiled, trying to get Magnus to meet his eyes.

When Magnus finally looked at him, Alec felt his chest tighten. The ancient exhaustion that he noticed earlier had returned to his eyes, with a touch of sadness that wasn't there before.

"Magnus," said Alec. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on with you, but I had a really great time. I wish you would come over here and kiss me." He reached for him and brought him closer. Magnus closed his eyes, let out a small sigh and kissed him once on the lips.

"I'm just tired, silly Nephilim. I did just drag you from one end of the country to another. I'm sad to say it takes energy better saved for more pleasurable endeavors." his teasing didn't reach his eyes.

"You're going to call me right?" Alec blurted out. He felt his face heat up at his outburst.

Magnus looked at him for a moment, like he had just woken from a dream. "Hm? Sure. Yes, of course."

That sounded like a _no_. Completely nonplussed, Alec shook his head trying to rid himself of the burning feeling in his throat. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out the door and down the street, not looking back.

Magnus threw himself on his couch and sighed. Chairman Meow hopped up in his lap, demanding to be petted.

"So now you want my attention? Well maybe now I don't want to pet you." but he rubbed his ears affectionately anyway.

He laid back and closed his eyes, but all he could see was the hurt in the blue eyes that turned his legs into water. The hurt and betrayal. What was he doing? This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

"So much for my master plan. Get it together, Bane."

He sat up, completely restless. Why couldn't he treat this date like any other? He just went out with that faerie girl last week and he didn't take her to Miami and he still got her into bed. Magnus had given up on the idea of any kind of committed relationship. They were too much trouble and hurt more than they were worth. Sure, he might literally have all the time in the world to heal but who wanted to spend their time healing when they could spend it living?

That damn Lightwood. Kissing him made him feel _so_ alive. And technically, he didn't lie when he said he was tired. He _was _tired. Tired of seducing him. Tired of wanting him. Tired of fighting the feelings that were overrunning everything he had made himself believe for the last century. He must have magically lit and blown out those candles in his bedroom eight times that night, fighting with himself on what to do with Alec.

There had been no one since Camille. He had plenty of lovers of course, but he hadn't cared about anyone since Camille. Damn that Alec for having those damn blue eyes. They reminded him so much of Will it made Magnus ache in places he didn't know he still had.

Alec was so innocent and sweet. Magnus had been going back and forth between bringing him home and leaving him alone. He must have seemed like he had split personalities. He tried hard not to care, but he did. He remembered Alec's face when he told him about that drunk jerk at the bar. He looked so broken and vulnerable. That vulnerability is what attracted Magnus to him. He couldn't fight it. When Alec poured his heart out to him on the beach, telling him that he was the person Alec could really be himself around, Magnus knew that he was going to get hurt. He didn't know how or when, but Alec Lightwood was going to break his heart.

But knowing that didn't stop him. He was going to make love to him on that beach, for completely different reasons than what he originally planned. But then the "magnificent" Magnus Bane choked when he realized that Alec was going to be the first shadowhunter he had ever slept with.

Not that him being a shadowhunter was so significant, but he couldn't remember the last time he had a first time. In eight hundred years, he had gone through more firsts than he could even remember. But to share a first time with someone like Alec... it scared him. He had gone too long without being vulnerable himself.

He wanted to wait. He couldn't remember the last time he had waited for sex, or for anything really. Being a High Warlock spoiled you, Magnus thought ruefully. But he wanted to wait, because Alec was special. Then when he realized what Alec was starting to mean to him, he stopped cold. He couldn't mean anything to him. So he closed himself off and let Alec walk away without knowing why. The hurt in his beautiful eyes was almost more than Magnus could bear.

Chairman Meow started rub himself against his hands, distracting Magnus for a moment. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Not right now." he said grumpily. The Chairman made a reproachful chirp before jumping off of his lap.

The hand in his left pocket brushed the seashell Alec had given to him. He couldn't even remember putting it there. _"Here. I want you to have it. Now I've given you something, like you've given me."_

He pulled out the shell to take a closer look. It was the exact color of Alec's eyes.

"I am a fool."

He grabbed his phone and sent a quick text message before heading out the door. It only took Magnus fifteen minutes to reach the Institute. When he got there, Alec was waiting outside wearing a worn looking gray t-shirt and blue plaid pajama bottoms with a hole in the left knee. His raven hair was disheveled and he looked slightly dazed, like he just rolled out of bed. Magnus walked up to him, and he could see the hardened look in his eyes, like glaring sapphires.

"Hey." Magnus said after a minute of silence. _Way to go Bane_, thought Magnus irritably to himself.

"Hey," said Alec. "Look, I'm not trying to be rude or anything but my hangover is starting to kick in and I have to be up so Jace can wipe the floor with me in training in roughly four hours. Did you forget something?"

Magnus' heart raced. Fingers trembling, he pulled the seashell out of his pocket, holding it up for Alec to see. Alec looked at it, confused. "Magnus, what-"

"This shell reminds me of you. Quietly exquisite among the ordinary- yet so easily overlooked by anyone passing you by, never taking the time to actually look. I can't imagine being so unfortunate as to pass you by when you are so incredibly special. Like leaving this shell behind on the beach undiscovered, it would be tragically ironic to be so unaware of what was lost. But if someone was lucky enough to find it, it could only be described as foolishness to leave it in the sand," Magnus took a nervous breath. "I don't want leave you in the sand. I can't. Damn it, you're probably going to be the death of me, but I can't."

Alec came towards him and put his hand softly on Magnus' face. "Magnus," he said softly.

Magnus shook his head. "I need to say what I should have said earlier. Yes, I will call you. I will call you whenever you want. Every day. I already want to see you again. And I had a fantastic time tonight."

Alec broke out into a huge smile; his blue eyes sparkled in the darkness. Magnus loved his smile; it made him look so young and sweet.

"Is tonight too soon?"

Magnus grinned. Oh, was he in trouble.


End file.
